Painful Mistake? Or Fate Intervenes?
by Terrorking Tragedian
Summary: Lilly and Heather square off in the skateboarding competition finals. What will happen when Lilly meets with a horrible accident? What will the outcome be? I promise you won't be disappointed! Abandoned until later; possible edits in the future
1. The World is Tumbling

This is the result of one of those ideas that came into my head so intensely that it blocked out any inspirations to my other stories. This is also the first story of mine in which Miley is not the victim. I began working this down before returning to my other stories (most naggingly Over The Edge, which still needs an ending) so that at least my mind be free of raging tides.

Hence begins this story. Simple mistake? Or Fate intervenes?

Oh yes, Lilly's rival Heather doesn't have a surname, so I named her after the actress who portrayed her, Gina DeVivo.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hannah Montana.

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"You're going down, Truscott."

"You first, Heather."

The two rivals faced one another in the final round of the skateboard competition, each not letting the other stare her out. After a long period of fierce competition, the time of the skateboarding finals had arrived, the finalists being Heather DeVivo and Lilly Truscott. It was the moment of destiny.

"See you in loser's heaven, then, Lilly."

"After you, Miss Big-Time-Winner."

Cheering from the stands were at least a good hundred-strong spectators, and the noise and heat was enough to make anyone feel the adrenaline rush. Amongst the crowd, a small party of people sat right at the front behind the edge of the stands, and they were the party that cheered the loudest. They were none other than Lilly's best friends, Miley and Oliver, as well as her parents who had come to watch their daughter compete.

"Yeah! That's right, Lilly! You kick that Heather all over the skate park!" Miley yelled from her place, waving a vividly bright red banner that said, "Lilly Truscott for Victory!"

"Go Lilly! Sizzle little Lizzle in the hizzle! Freaky freaky fresh, word!" Oliver ranted, sitting beside Miley, brandishing a foam finger. When Miley gave him an incredulous glare, he instead shouted, "You work it, Girl! Word!"

"Now that's the reason why she lost every year." Miley said flatly.

"Hey notice I'm actually here. And don't say things like that; you're gonna curse someone if you're not careful." Oliver retorted. Miley chortled in response.

"Since when did you believe in such things?"

"Since my mom started practicing Fong Shui and began reading old Chinese superstition books."

"Your mom reads Chinese?"

"It's better than you! You just eat Chinese."

Before Miley could think up a retort, the horn went off, signaling the beginning of the final event. As the voices of the crowd amplified in volume, Heather walked over to the top of the great arch, smiling toad-like at Lilly. Lilly returned her smile with a burning glare, arms crossed.

"See you later, worthless call-yourself-a-skater." Heather remarked.

"Hmph!"

Heather performed beautifully and ruthlessly, potentially winning the contest already. With landings and flips of brute force and determination, it would seem that Heather crushed Lilly's confidence, the way she did so for so many years. Finishing her demonstration with an impressive flip, then a 720-degrees spin before landing on the top of the arch, she snapped her gaze at the four judges, who promptly raised their numbers.

Judge number one raised a 9.

Judge number two raised a 10.

Judge number three raised a 10.

Judge number four raised a 9.

"That's a near perfect score of 38 over 40! Give it up for Heather DeVivo!" the commentator declared. Instantaneously half of the audience exploded with applause, doing their team cheers with high enthusiasm.

As Heather passed by Lilly, she gave her a gloating grin and said, "Your turn, Truscott."

Lilly steeled herself and grabbed her skateboard, declaring war coldly, "Oh, it's on." As she marched resolutely towards the top of the arch, Miley and Oliver yelled at their friend once more with utmost excitement.

"You can do it, Lilly! GO GO GO!" they screamed in unison. Beside them, Mr and Mrs Truscott watched their daughter in relative silence, but with glowing smiles on their faces.

"She can do it. I know it. Look at her! She even LOOKS ready!" Miley said to Oliver, who nodded in agreement.

"She'd better, or it'll be another year of cold disappointment." He replied darkly, earning him a weird look from Miley.

"You could give her a little more encouragement, donut."

Mrs Truscott pointed at the commentator all of the sudden, and all their heads were turned, distracted from the little argument.

"Now give it up for our second finalist, Lilly Truscott!"

Lilly flourished her hair proudly, bringing sparkle into the air around her. With her usual skater shorts and t-shirt, eyes shining a dazzling

Once on the top of the arch, Lilly stepped on the skateboard, tilted herself forward, felt herself fall, and the game was on. Her well-tempered technique and honed skill of manipulation guided her way to victory. With precise footwork and incredible dexterity, Lilly executed her moves with mesmerising grace, her stamina constantly replenished by the cheers of "Lilly! Lilly! Lilly!" from her loyal supporters.

You're going down in flames, she thought viciously. This year, nobody's going to crush me. And everyone will bear witness to this; my mom and dad, Miley and Oliver. And the other ninety spectators as well. Prepare yourself, Heather.

Who knew a lapse of attentiveness could be fatal.

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Lilly's POV:

"Hey! Truscott! Your hairclip's loose!" Heather yelled standing a distance from the arch in front of the stands.

I scoffed at it. Yeah right; it's just another distraction tactic to bring me off balance, I thought. Keeping my concentration on the game, I retorted, "Nice try, Heather!"

"No seriously! You're hair's gonna fall!"

"You can't fool me, you toad!"

What does she think she can do to me? Distract me enough so that I topple over and humiliate myself in front of the judges? I've practiced and trained hard for a year; as long as I keep my focus on the footwork, nothing can go wrong. I am so going to kick Heather all over the skate park this time.

I could feel the sweat on my brows, threatening to cloud my vision. Hastily, within a fraction of a second that I can spare, I shook my head vigorously to remove them from my brows.

It all happened in less than seven seconds.

Something fell off, and the next second, all I saw was a flash of gold that completely blocked my vision. The cascade of my own golden blonde hair fell forwards, striking and blocking my eyes as the force of the turn whipped them into my face like drapes.

"What the..."

Distracted, I tried to brush the offending golden hair aside. That move cost me two seconds, a moment's concentration, and it nearly cost my life.

Losing balance, I tipped right off my skateboard, my feet twisting into impossible positions. I tumbled forward, plummeting towards the ground so many miles below me.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

I could not tell whether the scream was mine, or the audience's, or Heather's. It seemed like the world was screaming; it was happening so fast. All I saw with my eyes were flashes of gold and blurs as the hair whipped out of my eyes.

As I rolled down the thirty-metres slope violently, I could feel my bones breaking; the force which I had gathered was too powerful for me to control. My backbone numbed, yet somewhere in the middle I felt a sharp shooting pain. Angry sickening "CRACK!" sounds were heard as I fell; I knew that my arms and legs were broken too. My intestines were probably ruptured; three seconds after the long tumble I was bent into a bowling-over position which was followed by a wrenching pain in the guts.

Twice I banged my forehead on the slope hard as I tumbled. Between my tears I saw the skateboard charge down and crush my nose. It was still a long way to go.

The intensity of the agony blinded me completely by now. My tears were mixed with scarlet. My nose was flattened, and a rib, maybe two, were snapped; I was vaguely aware of the damage on my body.

A hard bang on the back of my head, a snapping sound from my neck, and the next thing I saw was darkness.

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Miley's POV:

I watched her fall.

I watched her hair whip in front of her eyes. Distracted, she tried to brush it all aside, but as she tried to do so, she lost her footing. The skateboard slipped out of her feet, no, she slipped off the skateboard...I wasn't sure; it was so quick. Everything in the world seemed to be going at slow motion as I watched Lilly roll down the gigantic thirty-metre high slope like a snowball.

My hands found my mouth, my eyes opened up wide in shock and horror, and I felt myself inhale a breath of air sharply. All the noise around me seemed to have stopped. Somewhere beside me, I heard Oliver whisper, "Oh no...Lord, no..."

After a long tumble for what felt like an infinity, Lilly finally slid to a halt at the depression of the arch, and my brain, numbed with shock, began to stir.

Comprehension dawned upon me like a crushing waterfall.

"LILLY!"

Without second thought, I jumped down from the stands and ran over to Lilly, unconscious and bleeding, lying at the depression. She seemed so far; I felt like as if I was getting further away from her. The feeling was so unreal. But I knew that Oliver was right behind me.

"Lilly! LILLY!" Oliver and I were yelling. We were then joined by other voices.

"OUT OF MY WAY! THAT'S MY DAUGHTER OVER THERE!" Mr Truscott yelled.

Somehow, I reached Lilly's side. She looked like a wreck. Her face was bloody; her nose seemed to have been broken. Her skull appeared to be smashed, and her neck was twisted in a grotesque position. Her arms and legs were lying in awkward angles, as if they had been broken – and indeed they were, every bone shattered. Her skateboard – a relic of the defeated champion – laid abandoned at the side.

I cradled my broken best friend in my lap, ignoring the oozing blood from the back of her head staining my new blue denim shorts.

"Lilly! Lilly wake up! Can you hear me?" I half-shouted at Lilly in desperation, trying to breathe properly. I wanted to cry.

Oliver appeared beside me a blinking moment later, also combating his shock and trying to help revive Lilly. With a strained and controlled voice, as if he was fighting back tears, he shook Lilly gently.

"Lilly? Lilly, please wake up!" He said softly.

An immense pressure was piled on my throat, disabling my normal voice. My cheeks were burning; tears spilled out before I could stop them; I began to feel very hot and thirsty, and my breath felt constricted. My vision was swimming. Still struggling to get a hard grip on Lilly's arm, I shook it vigorously and screamed in utter desperation, "LILLY! LILLY! WAKE UP! PLEASE!"

There was no response, save shallow and irregular breathing to be heard from Lilly's mangled face. The pulse was barely existent.

"LILLY! NO LILLY! DON'T DIE! COME BACK TO US!"

Lilly neither twitched nor stirred. She seemed to be dying; her trauma left her an almost-nonexistent pulse. I felt my breathing stop when Lilly's breath ceased.

"NO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE US! WE PROMISED TO BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! LILLY! LILLY!"

I very nearly broke down there and then, until Mr Truscott shoved me out of the way roughly. Mrs Truscott also came running, a little handkerchief in her hand. As she tried to mop up the blood on Lilly's face to no avail, Mr Truscott tried shaking Lilly awake.

My eyesight began to swim even more; was I passing out, or was it tears? Unable to stop myself, I made to run at Lilly once more, only to be restrained by Oliver.

"Miley! Calm down! Control yourself!"

"LILLY'S HURT! AND YOU'RE TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN?!"

"Don't, Miley! You'll do no good if you lose your head here!"

"LET ME GO OLIVER! LET ME GO!"

"MILEY!"

"NO! LILLY! LILLY COME BACK!"

Mr Truscott pulled away from Lilly, who looked a lot less bloody now, but still broken. He seemed to be barking something into his cellphone. Meanwhile Mrs Truscott was being forced back by the medical staff at hand, who attended to Lilly with bandages and stuff I couldn't make out.

My last nerve broke. Completely losing my head, I collapsed like a sack into Oliver's arms and broke down on his chest. Between my sobs and gasps I could hear Oliver whisper, "Calm down, just calm down." He was stroking my hair gently, with a shaking hand.

"Everything will be fine, just calm down, Miley..."

I kept sobbing into his chest, my hands clutching my heart; for suddenly I felt a sharp pain run me through the chest like a red-hot spear. Was I having a heart attack?

The ambulance arrived with a loud rousing siren. By now there was much commotion in the spectators, and quite a crowd had gathered around the arch. The paramedics from the ambulance plowed through the crowd like tanks, eventually reaching Lilly's side. Within moments, Lilly was on a stretcher, Mr and Mrs Truscott flanking her. I heard Oliver say, "Come on, Miles. We'd better follow."

My eyesight dimmed into pure darkness. I could no longer breathe, I was breaking cold sweat, my knees lost all strength and buckled, and despite feeling very very hot, I experienced a rippling sensation; a cold chill just ran down my spine and all of my body.

"Miley! You're paling! Are you alright?" Oliver half-shouted in concern.

Was my face turning sheet-white? I did not know. As an odd ringing filled my ears, I vaguely felt myself fall sideways onto the ground...

"Help! Help! I think she's in shock!"

Lilly...please be safe...

And all was darkness...

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Erm! That was the best I can do at the moment. I hope I managed to portray Miley's state of shock well enough – if it does not give the intended effect, I will be back to edit it a little.

NO ROMANCE INTENDED! I keep a very strict policy of the three best friends enjoying a friendship of platonic love – meaning you will never see me writing Loliver or Moliver or whatever that improbable nonsense. Ouch, please don't flame me for it.

I want to make a point here that even though Heather is a bit of a toad, she is honorable. Despite Lilly being her hated opponent, she warned her about the hair clip, apparently screamed when Lilly met her disastrous defeat, and as we will see later on, she is not really as rotten as she appears. The same might not be true in the actual television show Hannah Montana, however. Even though she has never appeared again ever since the episode "You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Zit is About You".


	2. Blood Donation and Shocking Revelations

Fate intervenes? Lilly is in a heck of a mess right now, and Miley going down with her to boot. Hahaha, that's the way I like it! I will hasten to complete this story before I run out of gas again; I had been rather unhealthy for a while.

I feel pumped about this, in fact. Recently, I watched a documentary on Discovery Channel, called "Life or Death". The trauma scenario involved inspired me indefinitely, and in an instant, I knew how this story should look like in its entirety. Therefore I will try my best to complete this to a certain extent before shifting focus.

For now, Chapter two! Told by Miley, Lilly's best mate.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hannah Montana.

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Light pierced through darkness, imbued with revitalising heat, yet the shadowy surroundings were ever so cold. I slowly opened my grey eyes, squinting, unaccustomed to the bright lights.

"Miley...Miley..." A hand shook me gently on the shoulder, prompting me to wake. I braved the light and opened my eyes as best as I can, curious. My head felt like lead; my brain was frozen, and when I opened my eyes by a fraction, I could see only blurred images, as if looking through water. Though without focus, Oliver and Daddy came into view.

"Welcome back to the world." Oliver said, apparently relieved, removing his hand from my shoulder.

"You alright, bud?" Daddy whispered.

I snapped my eyes wide open. The effect was slightly bizarre; we were in a room of pure light and whiteness, bright mini-suns shining from the ceiling, and there seemed to be people lying down on beds, people in blue-green coats and dresses, as well as people in long white coats. I myself was in a bed, with a white bed sheet covering me to the chest, my arms on either side of me, each weighing ten London buses. Daddy was was sitting at my right, and Oliver was at my left.

Though my brain was numb, I realised something: I was at a hospital.

"You alright, bud?" Daddy repeated, bringing a hand onto my forehead.

"My head...hurts." I mumbled in slurred speech. Every part of my body seemed to have been numbed; even my lips and eyelids were heavy. A dull ache was pounding at the back of my head.

"How're you feelin', honey?"

"Sick..." I muttered softly, feeling a wave of nausea sweep over me, intensifying the headache all of the sudden.

"That'll be your shock." Oliver said simply.

"Ollie Trolley say what? I went into shock?" I asked, mystified, though my lethargy seemed to block all interest in the answer.

"Everything's gonna be fine, bud. You just had a nasty shock, and your brain sort of shut down back there in the competition," Daddy explained quietly. "The paramedics were tending to Lilly before you collapsed, and they kinda guessed that you at a heatstroke, but I told them you were in shock." Oliver added kindly.

So I fainted at a competition. Where? Why? Oh right, I remembered feeling very thirsty, unable to control my crying, and I felt a shortness of breath that came with my vision fading away. But who's Lilly? And why were the paramedics tending to her before I fainted?

Then it came crashing back to me.

"You been unconscious for three -" Daddy began, before I sat up so abruptly that both of them gasped and jumped in surprise. In my sitting position, the pressure in my head increased, crushing my brain painfully, and I began to wish I hadn't sat up. But my heart was pumping hard and fast, sending adrenaline coursing through my veins. Was it adrenaline, or was it fear?

I did not care about my surroundings any longer. Only one burning question was in my head, pushing the drowsiness aside.

"Where's Lilly?"

Oliver looked away awkwardly. Dad peered into my eyes and said rather sadly, "It's quite bad. When I got here, I came to you first, before the doctor told me you'll be fine as long as you wake up later. So I went with Oliver to Lilly. Her parents were waiting outside the ER."

"ER? EMERGENCY ROOM?!" I shouted in despair. Daddy tried to shush me and calm me down, while Oliver continued, "She was looking pretty banged up. Bleeding all the way from the ambulance to the ER, with bandages and all applied by the paramedics on our way to the hospital. You weren't awake to see them work on Lilly. We've been waiting for three hours with Mr and Mrs Truscott outside the ER."

I began shouting frantically, struggling against Dad as he tried to force me back down. Oliver made no attempt to restrain either of us. After a brief struggle, I slipped out of Daddy's arms and jumped right off the bed.

"Miley! Come back!" Dad cried, jumping onto his feet.

I sped off in a random direction, frantically searching for the ER. It was after running around for two minutes, bumping into nurses and doctors in the corridors, that I realised that I did not know where Lilly was. To top it all, I was lost.

"Miss, may I know who are you looking for? You seemed to be searching for someone." A sharp-eyed nurse asked, tapping me on the shoulder.

"I'm looking for Lilly Truscott. She's in the ER, and I need to get there quick!" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

"Ah yes, Lilly Truscott. I was just there." The nurse said before pointing me the direction to the emergency room. Muttering a hasty thanks, I took off towards the right corridor, nearly smashing into a cart full of needles and syringes.

"Do watch where you're going, young lady!" The orderly pushing the cart said angrily.

Someone attached wings onto my feet; I had never ran faster than now in my life. Within thirty seconds, I was there. The big doors with a sign above it, reading "Emergency Room". Mr and Mrs Truscott sat nervously waiting on the fixed chairs.

"Where's Lilly? How is she?" All sorts of questions burst out of my mouth as Mr and Mrs Truscott turned and stared in surprise, not expecting new company.

"Miley! I thought you were..." Mr Truscott began before I cut him off in desperation for answers.

"How is Lilly?" I asked again.

"Lilly's still in there. The doctors had been working all this time; they never even came out and told us what was going on." Mrs Truscott said rather bitterly, throwing the doors a dirty look.

I had found the place. My lungs felt ready to collapse in exhaustion; already they were burning. My heart threatened to give out; the pain in my chest was very intense. Pumping in overdrive, every beat of the heart hurt. My knees buckled, my legs lost their strength after the frantic run, and I was perspiring profusely. Clutching my chest and wiping the sweat from my brows, I asked them, "How long have y'all been waiting?"

"About three hours. Robby Ray was here briefly." Mr Truscott replied simply.

"Oh say, where is Robby Ray?" Mrs Truscott added, looking at me. Right on cue, a shout was heard from a distance.

"Miley!" Daddy called, running up to me. Oliver followed behind him, panting like a dog.

"Sweet niblets, girl! What were you thinking?" Daddy yelled at me, stopping a few paces away and trying to regain his breath. Oliver ran over and slipped on the slippery floor, falling flat on his face.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I was trying to find Lil-" I began apologising, before the doors opened. Everyone fell silent at once, staring in dreadful anticipation. A stout and short doctor in a surgical gown walked out calmly.

"How's Lilly, Doctor?" Mrs Truscott asked nervously, concerned only about her daughter. The rest of us waited in bated breath.

"She'll be fine. Not really looking good at the end of it, but relatively fine. We've managed to mend some bones in her legs, her feet, her arms...everywhere. She must have been pretty banged up." The doctor began.

We silently egged him on.

"Her neck was broken, but the nerves weren't damaged severely, so we expect no complications. Her skull was broken as well; we fixed that in a jiffy. Ultimately, bone fractures are no big deal to us."

Mr Truscott snorted, as if in disagreement about the doctor's last statement. Apparently, broken bones were a very big deal.

"The problem is, she's also suffered some internal damage; there was bleeding in her stomach and intestines. We're fixing those injuries in the hurry, for she was losing blood quickly. She needed blood transfusions, and right now we've ran out of A-type positive blood, at least the convenient supplies. We need a volunteer to donate blood." The doctor concluded, looking around at our faces for a volunteer.

"I volunteer! I am A-type positive too!" I declared boldly.

"Miley no!" Dad gripped me by the shoulder. Everyone turned their eyes on us.

"A volunteer? May I know how old are you?" The doctor asked.

"Fourteen. Why?" I asked in return. The doctor sighed, disappointed.

"I sorry, but there are rules in blood donation. You must be older than sixteen to donate blood." He explained flatly.

"But this is an emergency!" I cried, pointing at the sign above the door. "And I'm a perfect match for blood transfusion! Can't you people make an exception?"

"She's got a point." Mr Truscott said, standing up. "This IS an emergency, and I feel whosoever wants to help should be allowed to help, as long as precautions are taken. I will be a blood donor as well; I am A-type positive, from where Lilly got her blood type. If Miley wants to donate blood as well, let her. It's our duty to help when we can."

The doctor turned away from Mr Truscott and looked at Daddy for a moment, saying, "But parental consent..." before Daddy interrupted, "If Miley wants to do it, let her."

I turned and stared at Daddy in utter surprise, not expecting his decision to be so. He was looking at me in a kind of burning pride.

"Go and be a hero. Lilly needs you right now. You promised to watch each other's backs, didn't you? Well, here's your chance. Go for it, Mile." He clapped me hard on the back, speaking with an equal amount of pride in his voice.

"Well, let us hasten." The doctor said, leading us, the whole party, to a blood donating booth next to the elevator. "I hope none of you have blood diseases." he added.

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The doctor checked on our medical data for five minutes, and after confirming that we were fit for blood transfusion, he pulled out a long needle from a machine, tubes connecting to the needle and a blood bag hung high up. "Who's first?" he asked.

Mr Truscott went first. The needle went into his arm, and before long the needle was out, the bag suddenly filled with dark red blood. The doctor cleaned up the wound with a alcohol-soaked piece of cotton and then proceeded to sterilise the needle before holding it up once more.

"Your turn, Miss Stewart." He said simply.

I've only just noticed that I was not in hospital gowns; in fact, I was wearing my own clothes, the same clothes I wore at the competition more than three hours ago. A bloodied long sleeve shirt, and a pair of blue denim shorts with one side darkened by blood when I rested Lilly's head on my lap. Rolling up my sleeve, I laid my arm down bravely and watched the needle apprehensively, trying to press the intense nervousness in my stomach down.

Perhaps the doctor noticed my anxiousness, for he said to me, "Just count to thirty, and it'll be over before you know it."

I told him, "No, no, go ahead. I am not nervous. The pain...I am willing to take for Lilly." Daddy came and put his hands on my shoulders to show that he would be right behind me, supporting me.

The needle entered my skin, and after four seconds came a searing sharp shooting pain that made me gasp in surprise more than anything. It was a sensation I had never experienced before in my life. The pain was more intense than I expected, so how did Mr Truscott keep his face completely straight when the needle pierced his arm only two minutes ago?

"Ach!" A sharp gasp made it out of my mouth. Dad gripped my shoulders tighter.

"You'll be fine, Mile." That was all he could say. Watching the needle probably caused him empathetic pain as well. (Hence literally, we suffered together.)

As I bit my lower lip in an effort to endure the pain, now an aching and burning pain, feeling like as if someone had punched the spot on my arm very very hard. To my extreme embarrassment, tears stung in my eyes, and I tried to fight them back while keeping my right arm steady by holding it down with my left hand. I can't cry; I'm way stronger than that! And what's more, Lilly needs me. This pain is for Lilly; I suppose that was what Mr Truscott was thinking went the needle was in his arm.

"It's for Lilly. It's for Lilly." I repeated to myself quietly, again and again between shaking and deep breathes. By now Daddy was gripping my shoulders so tight it almost hurt.

We promised to help each other in our times of need. Lilly watched my back when I needed her help, and it was time I returned the favor by saving her life. And as for whatever complications might arise from this, I will just have to grin and bear it. In fact, I will to suffer those complications with honour and pride, knowing that they were caused by my bravery and loyalty for a best friend. I would bear the scars with pride, knowing that they were marks of friendship.

The needle seemed to have stayed in my arm for an eternity. When the doctor finally pulled it out, I glanced at the blood bag above. Indeed, it was filled with a dark crimson liquid; my blood, willingly given. What was there more to say? I was proud of myself for having pulled through. Daddy was equally proud. He released his iron grip on my shoulders, and pulled me into a tight embrace, saying, "You did good, honey. You weren't just a hero; you are Lilly's true friend. And I am prouder of you for honouring your commitment in your friendship with Lilly than I can say."

"Thanks Dad." I whispered, hastily wiping the moisture around the corners of my eyes on his shoulder, hoping nobody noticed them. I had never even meant to tear up in the first place.

The doctor pressed a piece of cotton soak in alcohol on the wound, sending a different but remarkably similar sudden sharp shooting pain up my arm, this time burning the wound like a white-hot poker. I gasped a second time, and five seconds later, I realised that I couldn't stop myself tearing up in pain.

"Good. Now, just hold it there till the pain stops. Thank you very much, Mr Truscott, Miss Stewart. Now, back to work for me. Excuse me please." The doctor said, moving out of the booth with two moderately big bags of our blood in his hands. We followed him to the ER, and when he pushed the doors open and vanished behind them, the rest of us sat down on the fixed chairs and waited once more.

"Honey, you can take that off now." Daddy said, pointing at the piece of cotton I had been pressing onto the wound for more than three minutes. I looked at the wound; it was red, and slightly swollen, still stinging a little. Nevertheless, I threw the piece of cotton away in a bin.

Ten minutes later, Daddy suggested loudly, "You know, this might take a long time. How about we all go to the cafeteria for a quick refreshment before coming back?"

I looked up at the Truscotts, expecting them to look a little offended, by they shrugged and got up. "I hadn't had lunch anyway." Mr Truscott said, following Dad out of the waiting area. Dad turned to Oliver and I, saying, "Aren't you two coming along?"

I crossed my legs and folded my arms in reply. I'm staying.

"I'll go get me a sandwich, perhaps..." Oliver uttered, glancing at me with a look of guilt on his face, as if he was trying to apologise for abandoning Lilly and I for food. The entire party but I filed out of the waiting area and headed for the cafeteria. As I watched them disappear, I felt my stomach rumbled guiltily, as if afraid to admit hunger but unable to stop itself. It was right, after all; I had had no food for nearly nine hours. The clock was pointing at half past four.

But someone had to stay at the waiting area. And with everyone gone, it left only me to stay and here whatever news to come.

Sleepiness soon claimed me, my heart thumping gently, the needle wound pulsing with every heartbeat. I stifled a yawn and closed my eyes...

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"Miss Stewart?" A voice rang out.

I jolted out of my sleep, snapping my head back up. The same doctor was back, and so was everyone else, Daddy sitting beside me. Mr and Mrs Truscott sat opposite us, fingers crossed, while Oliver sat beside Dad, staring at the doctor seriously.

"What news, doctor?" Oliver asked simply.

The grim look on the doctor's face was a sign that something went terribly wrong. As my guts began to gurgle with nervousness and apprehension, I found myself gripping the sides of the chair tightly.

"Before I inform you regarding Miss Truscott's condition, we must come to a common understanding that the doctors behind these doors have done the job to their best ability. We deeply regret that which we cannot help." The doctor began cautiously.

"Of course. Please, just tell us about Lilly." Mr Truscott said a little desperately.

The doctor took a deep breath.

"We've mended bones and covered bruises easily; they are usually no problem, for the body will always heal itself. However, the more pressing problems are those which we cannot help solve one-hundred-percent."

We waited in bated breath, hoping against hope that the worst will not come.

"Her neck was broken, but she will be fine; no vital nerves broken, all she needs is a cast around her neck for a while. But her back was more seriously damaged than we thought or hoped. Due to complications that we will not understand until we get into research, Lilly will be paralysed waist down. Also, signs indicate than she might probably be paralysed on her right side as well, but we are not entirely sure about that."

Mrs Truscott began to sob quietly, in the hands of Mr Truscott who had tried to keep a straight face. We were all devastated by the news.

"And about the serious bump in her head that caused the fracture in the skull. She might have problems remembering stuff, though this amnesia will probably be temporary. That is, we hope it's temporary. Nothing life-threatening, really, just really inconvenient."

Tears flowed freely down my eyes. Lilly was in worse trouble than we had prayed not to let happen to her.

"She will wake up on her own. When, we do not know. For all we know, she might be comatose for a while. I will inform you when you may visit her. For now, it's best if you leave; there's no use staying here waiting for her to wake up." The doctor concluded.

Again, Lilly was in worse trouble than we had hoped against. The Lord had decided that it was to be this way.

Our worst nightmare had become true.

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Woohoo! I'm on fire! I honestly feel good about this chapter, even though it took me four hours to write, in the middle of the night. But it's done, and now I suppose y'all will be waiting to find out what happens next right? No? Oh well, I continue on tomorrow anyway. I have already planned in advance, so this should really be smooth.

Please review, and tell me which was your favourite part if you wish it. Muchos gracias for your comments.

Terrorking Tragedian


	3. Waiting with Hope in Our Hearts

Lilly seems to be more banged up than expected (the way I do it, it's usually very extreme). She's broken every bone in her body, injured her guts, twisted in her neck, took a blow on her skull and as a result, crushed the skull. She was also paralysed on her right side as well as waist down, and to top it all, she has amnesia. A succinct summary of her current condition, but there's more. Find out what else is going on with Lilly in this chapter.

And about the title. It's based on a line from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, delivered by Cutler Beckett, who said (or so I remember; might be wrong), "An interrupted wedding? Or Fate intervenes?" I thought it was a very good line, and decided that it was perfect for dramatic effect.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hannah Montana. I own my creativity and imagination, I am proud to say.

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"Miley! Don't you want dinner?" Dad called from downstairs. It was nine in the night.

I ignored him.

That was what I had been doing ever since we got back from the hospital. Ignoring everyone. In fact, all I did on the car on our way home was cry. I could do nothing else.

When we got home, I wrenched the front door open and ran right into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. And there I barricaded myself in for more than four hours. I never even thought of changing out of my bloodied clothes (the white T-shirt and the blue denim shorts); immediately, I flopped onto the bed, buried my head into a pillow and wept miserably.

There I wept for more than four hours. A new record, that must have been.

I refused to accept the fact that my best friend might not even remember my name. She would be paralysed, probably permanently. Lilly was now lying on the hospital bed, kept alive by a life support system, in a state of coma. What if she never woke up? What if they took her off life support? What if something else happened, and Lilly died?

"Lord, please let Lilly be okay. Please, let her wake up. I can't watch another loved one die before my eyes." I whispered again and again, hoping the Holy Father could hear.

"I can't watch another loved one die so horribly. Not again..." I broke into a fresh wave of tears, hearing thumps on the floor outside the door. Someone was walking up the stairs. I turned my red eyes to the door, as if expecting someone to enter. Solitude was what I desired most at the moment, but I made no attempt to lock the door before they entered. Maybe they can help relieve some of this pain...

The door opened, and standing there was Daddy, who did not look at all surprised to find me in my current state. He held a mug of Loco Hot Cocoa in his right hand, and after setting it down on the small table beside my bed, he sat down next to me, placing his hand on my back gently.

"Still crying, aren't you?" He asked not unkindly, but bluntly.

I glared at him, furious at his lack of sensitivity. Didn't he know what much pain I was suffering? Didn't he know how much it hurt to see Lilly turn into a wreck all within seven seconds? Wasn't it obvious that I had been crying for the last four hours? He flinched slightly when he saw my bloodshot eyes staring daggers at him from the pillow.

Looking him straight in the eye, I rasped coldly, "Ya think?"

"Ar, honey, I know how you're feeling," Daddy said, shrugging. "But I can't let you waste away in your room because of it. You must eat something; you hadn't eaten for a day!" he added, pointing at the clock.

"I'm not hungry." I said simply, my voice cracking from all that crying.

Daddy shrugged again, saying, "Whatever you say." Placing his hand on my shoulder and pulling the covers off me slightly, he asked an arrow-straight question.

"Wanna talk about it?"

I stayed silent for a minute, looking away from him. Did I want to talk about it? Was I ready? My mind was in a state of conflict. Part of it wanted to scream at Daddy to go away, while the other part urged me to pour out all those anxious thoughts.

Daddy must have been reading my mind, for he suddenly said, "Honey, if you don't want to talk about it, I'll leave. It's alright with me. But if you do want to talk about it, I'm all ears."

Daddy can be really understanding sometimes; even though boy brains usually were completely insensitive and obsessed with things girls will disdain, Daddy can be more understanding than Mom when he wanted to be. He seemed to have gotten this heightened sensitivity to feelings ever since Mom passed away. Feeling a rush of affection and warmth towards Dad, I decided to talk.

And speaking of Mom passing away...

"Daddy, do you remember when Mommy passed away that time?" I asked tentatively, watching his face darken.

"Yes." He muttered quietly.

"It hurt real bad, didn't it, Dad?"

"Yes. Yes it did, honey."

"I felt that way too. I tried to pull Mom back to us, but there was nothing I could do. All I could do was cry for a year. Even now, I hadn't recovered yet."

"What's this got to do with what happened today?" Daddy said, looking at me. I took a deep breath before going on.

"I watched Mommy die right before my eyes. I can't bear to see another loved one die in front of me..." I finished awkwardly, feeling another sudden urge to burst into tears.

Daddy looked at me piteously for a moment before saying, "Honey, I know how you feel. It hurt pretty bad when your mom passed away. And what's more, we watched her die. I felt that I would not allow another loved one to die, not as long as I lived. I imagine it must be really painful to see Lilly in this state now, am I right?" He stopped and waited for my answer.

Blinking back stray tears, I nodded.

"But we don't have the power to stop our loved ones dying. We can't control their fates. It's all up to Him," he continued, looking up at the ceiling. "Lilly met with an accident this morning, and this is the result. But who could have guessed it? He made it happen. He decided that it should happen. And we are powerless to stop him." he added.

"Why does He have to be so cruel? Lilly never committed a sin bad enough to deserve this!" I cried, unable to stop tears spilling out of my eyes. Pounding the pillow on my lap, I added, "Why did Lilly have to suffer? She was innocent! She didn't do anything to deserve this terrible fate!"

"Honey, are you thinking that Lilly is dying?" Dad said dubiously.

"Well, yeah! There is a high possibility that she might die! She so nearly did this morning! I SAW HER TUMBLE DOWN THAT AWFUL TUBE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" I screamed, earning another visitor at the door. Jackson was standing there, looking concerned.

"Baby, I -" Daddy tried to begin, but I was in the middle of a deluge.

"WHAT IF SHE NEVER WAKES UP?! WHAT IF THEY HAVE TO TAKE HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT? WHAT IF SHE JUST DIED LIKE THAT?!" I screamed myself hoarse, throwing the pillow onto the floor in a rage before dissolving into a pile of tears, unable to continue talking.

Daddy pulled me into his warm and comforting arms, whispering to Jackson, "Everything's fine, son. Your sister's just a little vulnerable right now."

"I'll stay too." Jackson said, proceeding to sit on the bed beside Dad and I. Apparently, either Oliver or Dad told him about this morning's disastrous event. "I care about Lilly too, after all." he added.

"What do you mean, "care" about her?" Daddy asked in a slightly amused tone.

"She's like a sister to me! Don't be getting wrong ideas, old man!" Jackson rebutted indignantly.

Daddy began stroking my brown curly locks, trying to quieten me down. I was practically bawling with anguish, unable to catch my own breath as I buried my face into his chest. I broke away and tried to recover my breath before I suffocated myself, reduced to sobbing and gasping instead.

Daddy saw me cease crying for a while and took the silence as an opportunity for him to speak. "Baby girl, you must have faith in Lilly. I believe I know her well enough to say that she is a strong girl, and she will fight to live. What chance does she have if she finds out her best friend doubts her chances of survival? For all you know, she might just give up. And right now, she's battling to wake up. Can't you feel it, Miley?" He said, chiding me gently, the way he would speak to an over-emotional one-year-old.

I came to an understanding upon hearing his words. For the past four hours, all I had been thinking about was how Lilly might be running a high risk of dying. I never paused to think about whether Lilly was battling to wake up; battling against death and oblivion. Feeling a little guilty about myself, I muttered quietly, "Well...I guess I was a little faithless..."

"Exactly. You mustn't lose hope. I know Lilly is still hanging onto that thin thread of life as we speak, but she'll make it if we all make an effort to encourage her. Who knows? She might wake up tomorrow, she might wake up next week, she might even wake up years later. But it is important that we not lose hope and give up on her. If we do that, Lilly will definitely never wake up." He concluded with a tone of finality.

I was silent.

"Things can change." He added, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"But...what if...she doesn't wake up even though we don't lose hope? What if she does die despite our support?" I asked one last question. Daddy's answer sounded rather ambiguous, yet it was so meaningful.

"Then, that just means that it's the way it has to be. But what do we know? While you say it fifty years from now, she wakes up at that exact moment."

I nodded, calm at last. As Daddy got up to leave the room, I sat there on the bed, in deep thought.

He was right. We mustn't lose hope. We made a promise to watch each other's backs when help and support was needed. Lilly was in dire need right now, and even though I could do almost nothing to heal her or reverse what happened this morning, I could at least provide her emotional support. The way I had been thinking for the last four, no, five hours clearly shouted that I had lost hope, and had given up on Lilly, doubting her chances of survival. That was not the way.

"And remember. You gave your blood to Lilly. I think the blood of a sister should prove to be a powerful source of help for her. It was the blood of a best friend's, a sister's, and a hero's. I think Lilly stands a greater chance than we might imagine." Daddy added before vanishing downstairs.

That's right, I thought. I gave my blood to Lilly, willingly, almost eagerly. I took the horrible piercing pain for Lilly, all for saving her life. I even waited outside the emergency room while everyone else was at the cafeteria. My dark and faithless thoughts clearly contradicted my "brave, heroic" actions. Where was that determination and eagerness to help I had at the hospital now? Why am I crying till I am shriveling up like a prune?

"Miley."

I turned around to face Jackson. He had the same look Dad had on his face when he was trying to comfort me.

"I think Dad has already said everything I want to say. Will you be alright?" He asked in a very un-Jackson-like manner.

"I'll be fine, thanks." I replied softly. Jackson made to leave. Turning at the door, he said, "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

I shook my head, deciding it was time to change out of my shirt (which needed washing) and the denim shorts (which also needed washing), and take a shower before doing anything else.

A window in my heart had been opened. I was corrected by Dad; Lilly needed our help, and with my blood in her veins, she would most definitely wake up fine, even though she might not recognise us instantly, or be able to move on her own. My blood would prove to be a powerful spiritual weapon in her fight against Fate.

My left hand felt the needle wound affectionately. The wound would serve to be a mark of friendship between Lilly and I. The scar would become a beautiful battle scar of honour, knowing that it was obtained in my eagerness to help my best friend through her darkest hour.

"You'll be fine, Lilly. I can feel it." I whispered to myself, meaning it to be for Lilly, who slept a few miles away from me. Somehow, through our connection, I felt that she could hear me.

"_Thanks, Miley. I will wake up, you watch me!"_

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_The line was flat. A monotonous beep penetrated the room. Lilly's breathing stopped a few seconds after._

"_LILLY! NO! PLEASE WAKE UP!"_

_There was no reaction. The plug had been pulled. After a year on life support, Lilly showed all signs of deterioration. Everyone but I seemed to have agreed to take her off life support._

"_LILLY! LILLY!" Her name was all I could call at the moment. Everybody in the dark room knew that Lilly would be gone within the next minute._

_I rounded at the doctors and Mr and Mrs Truscott, screaming at the top of my voice, "HOW COULD YOU PEOPLE DO THIS?!"_

"_Miley! It's best for her!" Mr Truscott yelled back between his tears. Mrs Truscott was crying uncontrollably in grief, sitting on the chair._

"_Y'ALL ARE MONSTERS! SHE COULD STILL STAND A CHANCE! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL HER?!" I roared, tearing my throat asunder. I emphasised the last two words with deliberation._

"_Are you insinuating that I killed my daughter?" Mr Truscott shouted indignantly._

"_Well, YEAH! What were YOU thinking? That you were relieving her of suffering and pain?" I berated him, irate. "WELL YOU WERE WRONG! SHE COULD HAVE STOOD A CHANCE!"_

"_Miley! It was best for her."_

_I was utterly shocked to find that it was Daddy who said that._

"_Daddy? I don't understand! You told me she stood a chance! What about all those things about support and not given up that you told me that night?" I started at him._

"_It was a different time. I also said things can change. Things changed. Lilly is lost, and we thought that if we put an end to her suffering existence, it would be merciful." Daddy explained, standing his ground._

"_How could it be merciful? It's murder! MURDER!" I yelled at him. Mr Truscott came to Daddy's defense._

"_As father of Lilly, I feel that it is I who have the last say, along with her mother's! What's done is done!" He roared._

_I lost all self-control._

"_WHAT ABOUT LILLY'S SAY?! WHAT IF SHE NEVER WANTED TO DIE?! WHAT IF SHE WAS FIGHTING TO WAKE UP BEFORE Y'ALL KILLED HER?!" Tears cascaded down my eyes like miniature waterfalls._

"_Enough, Mile! Not another word!" Daddy yelled._

"_THIS IS UNFAIR! THIS IS NOT JUSTICE!"_

"_Control yourself!" Daddy roared._

"_**IT'S NOT JUSTICE!**"_

_Following a swoosh in the air, a palm landed on my cheek. In an instant, Daddy's hand turned into something as hard as steel ropes, and with ferocity and brutality, he smashed it against my face. I felt the burning sensation sting where the hand met my skin. Staring into Daddy's eyes, disbelievingly, I heard him say, "Miley Rae Stewart! If you can't control yourself, then get out of here!"_

_I touched the spot where he just slapped me and feeling a sudden fire ignite within me, I cried with all my might, "MURDERERS!" and fled the scene, crashing right through the door. I ran for a while before it all faded into darkness..._

_I heard Lilly's voice, "I didn't want to die! Why did they have to pull the life support?"_

"Miley! Wakey wakey!"

"AAAAHH!"

I awoke with a scream of blue murder. My heart was pumping a million times a minute, I was shaking violently and sweating all over my body. Daddy sat on the bed beside me, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness you're awake. You've been screaming for quite a while. I was starting to get worried." He said warmly, standing up. "Well, on the plus side, you woke Jackson up," he added jovially.

I was still shaken by that dream. It felt so real...almost as if it actually happened...

"You didn't catch what I was screaming, did you?" I asked Dad hurriedly, afraid of the answer. He gave me a sad frown before replying.

"I'll pretend I never understood a thing. Now hurry up and get washed. You don't wanna be late for school, do you?"

I hastily got out of bed, taking deep breaths, relieved that the scene was, after all, a dream.

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Five days had passed. Lilly was still a coma, not waking up all this time, making no sound whatsoever, nor responding to anything. The doctors told us that she might go into a persistent vegetative state, or recover, or die. Due to her unstable condition (I never understood what), the doctors forbid us to visit her during the first two days.

I went to school drawing some unwanted attention to myself. I looked oddly lonely without Lilly by my side, though Oliver kept me company whenever he could. I could tell that Oliver felt the same way I did, Lilly being OUR best friend after all.

On the second day, I had asked him during recess, "You miss her already, don't you?"

Sitting beside me, he admitted, "Yes. And I couldn't sleep for the last two nights. I just kept thinking about how Lilly might...die, or something..."

I told him everything Daddy told me two nights ago. We ought to stay faithful and strongly supportive to Lilly in order for her to recover quickly. I was highly hopeful that Lilly would be waking up soon, but even so, I could not help but feel depressed all the time. Not to mention, very lonely.

Me on my own was not a common sight. Glances and curious looks were drawn to me as I walked down the corridors, to classes, and in classes where Oliver would not be there next to me. There would often be an empty chair beside me, meant for Lilly. The funny looks I had received were either curious, surprised, or slightly amused looks. Word had spread like wildfire across the student body, and now everyone knew about Lilly's terrible accident. There was once on Wednesday when a group of classmates came up to me and asked me questions about Lilly's conditions. I had no idea at all, save this constantly repeated phrase, "She's still a coma."

"Hey, Miley. Where is your skater friend? Mending a few bones right now?" Amber remarked mockingly once on Thursday. It did not help that I was feeling rather depressed at the time. I furiously defended Lilly without bursting into tears, something which I was quite close to doing for days.

I cried not because I feared for Lilly's life. Daddy cured that problem long time ago. I cried because I was lonely. I was reminded the fact that Lilly was still in the hospital every time I turned my gaze to the empty desk and chair beside me in class. Occasionally I even hallucinated; I would see a ghostly impalpable Lilly sit behind that desk, hand raised to answer the teacher's question. She would sit there for five seconds before fading away, cruelly reminding me that Lilly was not there. My eyes would then proceed to well up.

"Ms Stewart, please, will you pay attention. You seem to be spacing out." A teacher asked me once, not noticing my sparkling eyes.

I cried because of Lilly's future. I pitied her, more than anything. For, provided she wakes up, she would be leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, paralysed waist-down, and unable to move her right side, even though her neck might still be fully functional. Her amnesia would mean that she might not remember some important details in her life (such as my name, I keep thinking bitterly). I wondered whether Lilly would ever be the same again.

I cried because Lilly herself might be saddened about the mess she got herself into. I cried in pity, and empathy. I was fully aware that Lilly might not even know that she was a coma, but she was fighting _something _anyway. Every night, I would pray on the deck, hoping and wishing for Lilly to get well, hopefully soon, but best at her own pace.

I never missed Lilly more than then in my life.

Finally, on Saturday, Daddy told me that we could go visit Lilly. The doctors said something about "being careful" and "not talking to her", but I cared not. Right now, all I wanted to do was see Lilly.

"Mile. I just got a call from Lilly's mom. We can go see Lilly at the hospital today; now, if you like."

"Now?! Of course I'm coming!" I shouted, running into my room to grab something to wear to the hospital. I came out in an orange sleeveless top and a blue denim miniskirt, ecstatic.

"Hey Jackson, you wanna come along?" Daddy called up the stairs, before realising that it was Jackson who would be driving us to the hospital.

Wait for me, Lilly. Hope you are fine.

"_Thanks Miley. I will wake up, you watch me!"_

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And following up, a visit to the hospital, where they meet Lilly for the first time in days. I am REALLY looking forward to this. And yes, I am in fact on it right now! Please tell me what did you like about this chapter. There are three segments: home after the first visit to the hospital, the nightmare, and the conclusive part written in the style of a journal. I would very much like to hear which is your favourite part. It's not a whim; trust me, it helps me a lot.

It was rather difficult when I was writing the first part; I do not take the Lord's name in vain, so I refrained from using the name G-O-D in the part. It was difficult when I was writing the dialogue, but I hope it turned out fine.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Terrorking Tragedian


	4. Ward 109

This chapter is about the hospital scene. Hope I did it well enough. I didn't know how to write the first part of this chapter, so if it sounded like shit, then please forgive me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hannah Montana.

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A sense of foreboding took over as Jackson drove us to the hospital. Something was wrong, but what? Had it something to do with Lilly? I kept good faith for five days, but was it still not enough? Did something bad happen to Lilly after all?

I had to find out.

"Jackson, drive faster!" I cried to the driver.

"I'm already going faster than the limit!" Jackson yelled back.

"Just drive faster!"

"So you don't care that we get arrested then?"

"Alright!" Daddy interrupted all of the sudden. "Stop arguing, both of you! Jackson, keep your eyes on the road. Miley, you can't tell the driver to go over the limit."

"But Dad, I-" I began, but before I went on any more, the hospital came into view a distance away. Right, it doesn't matter then, as long as I get up to the ward as soon as possible. In no time at all, we were alighting from the car and walking up to the main counter on the first level.

"Hi, we are visitors," Daddy said to the nurse behind the counter of the atrium. "We would like to know which ward is Lilly Truscott in, please."

"Lilly Truscott?" The nurse began looking for the data on the computer in front of her. "Ward 109, sixth floor." She replied after a while.

"Thank you." Daddy said and beckoned Jackson and I to follow. I ran up to the elevators and hit the buttons hard. Why were elevators always so slow? They are slow to come to you, slow to open doors, slow to move, slow to arrive. The elevator stops at every level to let people in and out, and it might even get stuck halfway through the levels!

Needless to say, Daddy witnessed my jumpy behaviour. (Did he sense the ominous foreboding too?) Placing a hand on my shoulder, he whispered, "Hey. She'll be alright. Trust in her."

Was that supposed to comfort me? 'Cause if it was, it didn't work. "I have a bad feeling about this..." I whispered back. Somewhere behind us, a man in a trench coat blew his nose.

I stared at the level indicator in the elevator, willing it to go faster. Sweat drops were descending down every pore in my body; it was like an oven in the lift. When the doors finally opened, I burst into the lift lobby of the sixth floor and stared around for the way to ward 109.

"It says here: wards 100-120. This must be the place." Jackson pointed to a sign by the lift which I must have missed. I ran in the direction of ward 109, praying that Lilly would be fine.

Something told me that all was not well.

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"Mr and Mrs Truscott!" I greeted the two. They were outside the ward, both having been waiting nervously. "When did you get here?" I asked.

"About ten minutes ago." Mr Truscott said, looking at his watch. "The doctor's just getting something ready before we went in. Evidently, Lilly's still a coma." he concluded darkly. Mrs Truscott looked at the ground blankly.

I collapsed into a chair and placed my head in my hands. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake off that ominousness I felt in my stomach. Why am I feeling so jumpy?

A doctor emerged from the room. I had to find out.

"What's Lilly's current condition?" I asked him hurriedly before anyone had the chance to say anything. The doctor gave a wry smile, the kind that said all was not well, but she'll be fine.

"Well, she's still comatose, so I don't expect you to be talking with her. But in the occasion that she does wake up, try not to be too rough with her. Don't touch her, don't ask her questions, don't try to talk with her too much. Of course, she'll probably remain comatose for goodness-knows-how-long, so you can just go in and see her in any way you like." The doctor said in a very professional-sounding voice.

My innards seethed with rage at the casual tone of the doctor. Didn't he know how hard it was for me to keep good faith all this time? Trying to keep these boiling emotions locked up as secure as possible (it would be unwise to blow up here), I asked the doctor with a voice suggesting suppressed rage, "So doctor, when do we get to go in?"

"Right now." He said simply. "Family first." He added, gesturing for Mr and Mrs Truscott to go forward first. They nodded and disappeared into the room for what felt like an eternity. Time always slowed down when you were waiting for something nervously.

"Oh great, you're here!" A voice rang from the right. I turned my head to the origin of the sound and saw Oliver running up to us, looking a little flushed. He stopped three paces from me and supported his weight with his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

"I ran around quite a while to get here." He answered, watching our questioning faces. Turning his head to the ward, he added, "So what's going on?"

"Lilly's mom and dad are in there. We go in next." Jackson replied calmly, not lifting his gaze from the doorknob. Oliver dropped onto the seat next to me and placed his hands together, waiting for the door to open. I folded my arms and crossed my legs in wait as well.

The clock showed ten minutes passing, yet it felt like hours. Mr Truscott opened the door and exited, looking strangely pale, with a sobbing Mrs Truscott following up behind him. The doctor came out third and signaled that it was our turn.

"Well, let's go." Daddy sighed and got up from his seat. Jackson, Daddy, Oliver and I went in after the doctor, walking in slow motion. I shut the door behind us.

The dimly-lit hospital ward felt mysteriously ethereal, as if all this were a dream. There were people in here, all resting, and many had signs of accidents; there was a young boy on a bed, asleep, who seemed to be missing a leg and an arm. Another man on a bed on the opposite side of the room was groaning softly, his skin looking red and burnt.

But nothing prepared me for the sight I beheld moments later.

"Oh..." Oliver whimpered weakly, wincing.

I wanted to cry; my eyes burned once more, and my hands found my mouth. Only Oliver heard my little yelp of shock.

For Lilly was on a bed to the right, still looking like a wreck. Tubes and other scary stuff were sticking into Lilly, and two electrodes were on her head, monitoring her brain waves or something. Around her were all types of bags of liquid, including an IV bag (its needle sticking into Lilly's arm), were set dangling from a cart at the right side of the bed. Her bruises were all patched up, but it was the bandages that freaked me out the most. They seemed to be everywhere; around the head, the arms, and I was pretty sure they were used under the hospital gown she was wearing, having been through some surgery. Around Lilly's neck was a neck cast, and both her legs were in leg casts. Her right leg was suspended in the air by a white rope dangling from the ceiling, Lilly's foot supported in the hoop. She was unconscious, looking rather at ease; almost peaceful, as if she had been asleep. I never thought people looked like that in real life. But still, despite her peacefulness, she was white as a sheet; pale as death.

Her left hand was free of injury and bandages, its skin unblemished, its shape impeccable. I grasped Lilly's hand gingerly and shivered; it felt cold and dead; lifeless. Lying limp in my hand, it felt as if its master was dying.

But still, the heart monitor was beeping quietly. Its stable beeps reassured us that Lilly was, at least heart-beat wise, fine.

"Lilly..." I whispered into my best friend's ear. She did not react, nor did I expect an answer anyway. I sensed that the rest of the party were backing away.

"Let them have some time to themselves." Oliver whispered to the party almost inaudibly, but in this quiet room, everything can be heard.

Despite being Lilly's best friend as well, Oliver chose to back away for Lilly and I to have a small private talk. Deeply respecting Oliver's sensitivity, I began to tell Lilly the story, trying to infuse warmth and life into her cold dead left hand.

"Lilly. I want you to know that we had all been keeping good faith for you. You might not remember us when you wake up, but I know deep in your heart, you will reserve a place for us. You might not know this, but we're blood sisters now. I donated some of my blood to save your life. That needle hurt like a billy-o, but I was determined to take it was your sake.

"When we got home in the evening on the day you were injured, I locked myself in my room, crying for four hours straight. Daddy came in and told me to stay strong for you, and that we must keep good faith and hope for the best. He said that if we despaired, you wouldn't stand a chance. It was really difficult, Lilly, when you weren't there in school for the last five days. Everyone gave me a hard time, some teasing me about not having you by my side, some trying to comfort me and making things worse. I'm sure Oliver had been through the same thing too.

"But I stayed strong. I couldn't stop myself crying, sometimes alone, sometimes in front of everybody watching, but I stayed strong. Do you know why I was crying? For many reasons. I'm sure that this time, Oliver understands.

"For the last few days, I felt awfully lonely. Even though Oliver and I still had each other to keep us company, we felt a bit empty without you to complete the circle. We missed you terribly. I cried when I saw the empty desk beside me. Sometimes I would see you there behind the desk, and then you would vanish five seconds later. I may be losing it."

I chortled and gave a watery smile in spite of myself, and the situation. The room seemed to have had a sudden decrease in temperature; it dropped from cold to frigidly cold within a second.

"I also cried because of what you will become in the future, provided you wake up, of course. I know that we will all be taking care of you, but all the same, I pitied you a lot. I know I shouldn't be pitying you, but that's how the mind works. You will be paralysed, you know that? The doctor said you would be paralysed on the right side as well as waist down. You will also have amnesia; the crash had damaged your skull and banged up your brain. Sounds rather grim to me."

I was vaguely aware that Oliver was sitting beside me, his rattling breath barely audible.

"But at first, before Daddy came in to tell on me, I was crying because I feared for your life. Seriously, Lilly, I thought that you would die. You so nearly did during the competition, and when we went back home that day from the hospital, I imagined the possibility that you might never wake up. What would happen if you never did? I had a dream that night, about everyone deciding to pull the...plug. I alone defended you."

My lips trembled and my voice quavered when I relived the nightmare. Tears spilled from my eyes, but I hadn't bothered mopping them up.

"I saw you, dead. Everyone; my dad, your mom and dad, and the doctors, were saying it was the best thing to do. It was supposed to be merciful. I screamed at them, saying it was murder. Then we got into a fight, and Daddy slapped me in the face. I ran from the room and heard you saying you didn't want to die.

"Please tell me that you really don't want to die, Lilly. If even you give up on life, then they would most certainly pull the plug. You can't die! Not when everyone who loves you wait eagerly for you to wake up! Not just you family; you've got Oliver, me, even Jackson says he cares about you like a little sister. And my Dad, too. We didn't give up on you for five days, and I hope you haven't either. I personally prayed hard for you to get well soon. Daddy told me that by giving blood, we are now metaphorically sisters, bonded by blood, and that by giving my blood, I would be helping you a long way. I feel that connection too; why will I be talking to you here and now if I had felt that you wouldn't be listening? I knew you were always semi-conscious, just not physically able to respond right now."

I was perilously close to breaking down into tears. My shoulders were shaking, and my hands, holding on to Lilly's left, were shaking. Reining in my emotions, at least until my speech ends, I sniffed heavily and said my last.

"I can't watch another loved one die, not again. Lilly, you don't know how much it hurt when my Mom died. I swore to myself at that time to never again let someone close to me die. Of course, no human has the power to prevent someone from inevitably dying, but I was hurting lots at the time. Please don't make me feel that way again, Lilly. Not just me, your friends and family too. Don't leave us, Lilly. Please."

At that point, I was unable to continue further. I reached breaking point, and the shackles I placed around my emotions broke. I placed my head on Lilly's hand and began to cry, unrestrained, my back bent forward over the edge of the bed. Oliver pat my back sympathetically but stayed silent.

All the cooped-up emotions eating away at my insides burst forth during that moment. Guilt, hopelessness felt while hoping, loneliness, sorrow, pity, and any other negative emotion you could think of ran rampant throughout my body, reaching every part from my head to my toes.

But even as I wept bitterly and miserably, I felt Lilly's hand, touching my forehead, clench its fingers around my pair of shaking hands weakly. I ceased crying for a while in surprise, watching Lilly's trembling hand try to squeeze my fingers in reassurance. At once I heard a voice ring in my head.

"_I told you I'll be waking up. In fact, I am awake; I was listening just now."_

I heard Lilly swear to return to the land of the living from her oblivion.

The hand fell limp five seconds after, too weak to move any more. But I understood that Lilly was awake, and that she was trying to prove to us that she was.

The hand moving was witnessed by everyone present at the scene; Daddy even remarked, "Well, at least we now know that her left side is indeed not paralysed. That's good, innit?"

The doctor's stark voice rang, "Time's up. If you will leave, please."

I glanced at Oliver, and he whispered to Lilly ear, "She said everything we wanted to tell you. I hope you know that I'm here by your side as well. Though I did not donate blood, we're still best friends, and we'll always share that special bond. I love you, Lilly."

He got up and looked at me pointedly. I smiled at him and repeated, "I love you, Lilly." Her forehead was bandaged, so I kissed her hand in farewell. Her hand was no longer cold and dead-looking; though it was still pale, it was warm, embodying the power of fluttering hope.

Oliver took Lilly's hand and kissed it as well. He replaced it at its master's side.

Lilly's face never moved, but in my mind's eye, I saw Lilly sitting up and waving at us as we left the bed and followed the doctor out of the door.

Before leaving, though, Daddy doubled back and said to Lilly, "Your dad donated blood too. You should remember to thank him when you wake up. In case you don't remember, we'll remind you. He'll be delighted to hear it from his daughter."

He shrugged, seeing the questioning look I gave him. I was more than eager to get out of the freezing temperatures, wishing I wore more than just my orange sleeveless top and denim miniskirt, and also cursing myself for not bringing a coat. Yet, somehow, I felt that I was being pulled back into the room; I was unwilling to leave Lilly's side. I looked back at the bed one last time and walked out of the door, the doctor following up behind me, shutting the door.

"You may visit her again tomorrow, if you like; she'll be fine." The doctor announced to us. Lilly's parents muttered muffled thanks to him and left, Mrs Truscott pulling her parka closer to her in a dignified manner, as if redeeming herself from her previous sobbing.

"Well, I guess we have no business here any more." Daddy said to Oliver, Jackson and I. "Let's get going, then."

We nodded. The doctor left for his duties, and I knew at once the visit was over.

"_Will you come back tomorrow?"_

I looked back at the door to the ward 109 and whispered, "Yes. Wait for me, Lilly."

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Once again, sorry if it all sounded like crap. I had three hours to do this, and right now, after posting this, I'll be heading of to school. Yes, I'm aware it's August right now; that's the education system in Singapore. I will definitely develop on this story further as soon as I get back home later today. Please tell me what do you think about this chapter. Just a sentence will do; it's not that hard!

Hasta la vista!

Terrorking Tragedian


	5. New Light Shines Through

New light shines through! And with the coming of this chapter, I shall reveal the fact that I am not inherently evil!

Okay, that sounded weird. It just bugged me for a long time, and I had to write it down somewhere. But here it is. Chapter 5. And I promise you will not be disappointed. Should you be disappointed about anything, don't hesitate to tell me (via review or private message), and I will see what amendments I can make.

I am capable of giving hope as much as taking it. Hope you'll be able to guess who is it in the first part.

Disclaimer: No, no, Terrorking doesn't own Hannah Montana. He will not deny his sheer wit and great imagination, however.

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_Why is everything dark? How long have I been here? Where am I? Where are Mom and Dad? What is going on?_

_I was starting to think I was to stay here forever._

_I don't even know where this place is. I think I'm in the middle of nowhere. There's absolutely nothing here, just darkness and lots of it. I can't even see or feel myself; it's like I was suspended in some separate dimension or something. The darkness was scary. I felt really really lonely, and afraid. Did I ever mention I am actually still afraid of the dark?_

_And it's not just dark here. It's cold. Cold and unfriendly. I had no coat or blanket to cover myself, only the shroud of darkness that surrounded me, which offered no warmth. I had no arms to wrap around myself for comfort. I couldn't feel my legs, my head, my guts, nothing. My body, if it existed at all, was impalpable. I felt only cold, fear, and loneliness._

_So why am I here?_

_I think I'm beginning to lose consciousness. My brain seemed to be slowing down, as if I'm dying. How did I know that? After all, I had no body. Yet, something told me, or I sensed, my life was in danger._

_Then I felt a rush of warmth, of affection, of love. It was a curious sensation. I felt, for the first time since I got here, I had a friend. A friend invisible, but existent. My heart, which I knew existed, but didn't know where it was, began to pump with new energy. The warm sensation coursed through my veins, filling me with hope, and for once I felt secure._

_Someone cared for me. Someone close to me, who was willing to sacrifice a part of him-or-herself in order to give me warmth. It was still dark, but it was no longer cold. Suddenly, a new thought came to me: I had the power to get out of here._

_But just as I was about to do that, a new negative force pushed me back, imprisoning me in its forbidden arms. I heard a voice, quavering and weak. She sounded really sad._

"Lord, please let Lilly be okay. Please, let her wake up. I can't watch another loved one die before my eyes..."

_I felt sad too. I felt sorry for her. It was clear to me she was suffering greatly. But I did not understand, nor could I help. Who was Lilly? Why was she unable to wake? Was she sleeping? Why was that girl Lilly, whoever she was, dying before her eyes? To whom did the voice belong to anyway?_

_She sounded really familiar, and I began to sense I had some form of connection with her. She felt like a corporeal entity, while I was a ethereal sentient being, untouchable and invisible. She couldn't feel me, but I could feel her. I could hear her, even._

_Her voice rang again, this time louder. She was full of anguish and pain._

"WHAT IF SHE NEVER WAKES UP?! WHAT IF THEY HAD TO TAKE HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT?! WHAT IF SHE DIED JUST LIKE THAT?!"

_She was screaming, bearing a world of pain in her heart. I wanted to cry for her; she sounded really miserable. Whoever she was, she was my friend. I wanted to give her a hug and comfort her. But how? I didn't have a body. Whatever the case, I felt like I needed to help her. Slowly I grew stronger._

_A while later, I learned her name. Miley. And the girl who was dying, Lilly, was making Miley sad. Other voices were talking to her, and after a while, the pressure in her heart lifted. I heard Miley speak to me directly. She spoke to me, and somehow I heard it._

"You'll be fine, Lilly. I can feel it."

_I learnt that I was Lilly. So it was me who was unconscious, possibly dying. Yet I did not feel like dying. On the contrary, I felt perfectly awake and alive. Feeling the need to thank her, another voice, this one coming from behind me, speaking in a higher-pitched voice that sounded very familiar, spoke._

"_Thanks, Miley. I will wake up, you watch me!"_

_Miley no longer doubted Lilly's chances of survival. No, MY chances of survival. I began to realise who I was, and how did I get here._

_It was a skateboarding competition. I was Lilly, and during my turn, I met a serious accident. I blacked out ever since, forgetting how pain felt like. Slowly I assumed consciousness and became what I am now; a being of pure sentience and nothing else, the meanest spirit._

_Anyway, Miley never doubted me again. The creature that bounded me with its arms, the jailer, was destroyed. I was free to break free from this darkness. But I couldn't. Not yet. I wasn't strong enough. I needed more strength, and I was relying on Miley to give me more. Meanwhile I kept swimming in the twisting shadows._

_Though she never doubted me again, I sensed she was still sad. She was crying, lonely and feeling hopeless. I learned that Lilly was paralysed and mentally incapacitated. My corporeal self was more damaged than I thought, while I was unharmed, a mere consciousness, a soul._

_She came closer. I felt it; she was coming closer to me, but where was she coming from?_

_I heard other voices speaking to me, but I couldn't hear them clearly. They were caring, but I didn't feel strong enough to respond, until a voice, this one a deep male voice, tried to contact me._

"You'll be fine, Lilly. Your Mommy and Daddy are here. We can't stay by your side forever, but you'll always feel us in your heart."

_My father spoke to me. He too, felt closer than anyone, but I only just remembered him. How come I never thought of him earlier? He was my father! And my mother? Why couldn't I hear her?_

_They left my side shortly, their lack of presence stealing the warmth around me. I wanted desperately to drag them back, but they were gone before I could reach them. I wanted to cry; I was awfully lonely._

_Then someone came and restored the warmth in the air. Our hearts were now intertwined. It was as if I lived somewhere in her heart and as well as mine. She grasped my hand and spoke to me._

"Lilly..." _She roused my attention._

_My hand. I felt it. After a long period of centuries, I became aware of my unmovable body. I was lying on a soft warm comfortable surface, my body broken, but my mind intact. She held my hand and spoke with heartfelt sincerity. I heard everything she said, including the last lines of her speech, the words that fired me up all of the sudden._

"Daddy told me that by giving blood, we are now metaphorically sisters, bonded by blood, and that by giving my blood, I would be helping you a long way. I feel that connection too; why will I be talking to you here and now if I had felt that you wouldn't be listening? I knew you were always semi-conscious, just not physically able to respond right now."

_So Miley could sense me too. I mustn't believe I was alone any more. She sensed me just as I sensed her. She heard me whisper to her, just like how I am listening to her words. And the warm feeling that drove back the cold, that was Miley's blood. And my father's as well. No wonder I heard them clearer than anyone else._

"I can't watch another loved one die, not again. Lilly, you don't know how much it hurt when my Mom died. I swore to myself at that time to never again let someone close to me die. Of course, no human has the power to prevent someone from inevitably dying, but I was hurting lots at the time. Please don't make me feel that way again, Lilly. Not just me, your friends and family too. Don't leave us, Lilly. Please."

_No Miley! I promise! I won't give up! I will wake up and come back to you all! Don't cry, Miley! You don't know where I am! I am getting stronger!_

_As I mentally yelled out these words, I felt a new strength inhabit my left hand, and without second thought, I clenched it into a fist, to show them I was awake. I felt my hand grasp and hold on to her cold clammy hand, giving it a feeble squeeze._

_I was awake, and they knew it. It was very tiring to keep my fist clenched, and soon I dropped it in exhaustion. But that was the first time I felt my corporeal self in so many centuries swimming in this awful darkness._

_She left my side, but she promised to return. I awaited eagerly._

_She did return after that. Many times too, and with each time she contacted me, I felt stronger. The darkness seemed to be ebbing away, and I was able to fly out of here if I wanted to._

_Finally, when she spoke to me on the fifth time, the darkness receded completely. Meager strength filled my physical self, meager but still enough for me to lift my eyelids. Determined to get out of this limbo, I heaved those heavy eyelids open. Brilliant light flooded my eyes. I had returned into the land of the living once more._

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"She's still asleep, then?" Oliver whispered for the fifth time. Miley nodded stiffly.

Another week had passed. Lilly was still unconscious, and on the third visit, Miley was beginning to doubt whether Lilly was going to wake up soon. It might take years or even a decade before Lilly saw light again. Years that Lilly will never get back, and in between those years, all the things she will miss...

At these thoughts, Miley began to tear up. Surely I must have run out of tears by now, she thought, half-annoyed at herself. She had been crying almost ceaselessly for this past week. Out of hopelessness, and loneliness. And fear, even. Again, she began to question the notion that Lilly would be alright.

But Lilly was getting more responsive. With every visit, she seemed to become more awake. She never opened her eyelids, but her left hand, the only part of her body she was able to move then, grew stronger and stronger. They were getting more and more hopeful that she might wake up, but at the same time, hope seemed to be draining out. It was highly unlikely that Lilly would wake up this week.

"The doctor did say if she doesn't wake this week, she ain't gonna wake up for another week." Robby Ray whispered gently from behind Miley, standing over Lilly's unconscious form.

"Dad! How can you say that? Can't you see Lilly's hand?" Miley glared at her father indignantly, showing him Lilly's hand to prove her point. It was lying still, but moments ago it was squeezing Miley's hand feebly, like it had done a few times before.

"Hey, that's what the doctor said! Do you seriously think I want to believe that?" Robby Ray rebutted angrily. Miley looked down, avoiding his gaze. Of course, Lilly had been like a sort of daughter to him, the two families being rather close to one another. Obviously he cared for her as much as her parents did.

"Hard to watch her waste away like this, isn't it?" Jackson commented, looking at the life support machine with distaste.

Miley eyed it and stared down at Lilly's unmoving face for another long while. The doctor said Lilly was now stable, and visits were no longer only five minutes long. They could stay all day if they wanted to. Yet there was nothing much to say each time. They just stared at Lilly most of the time, hoping she springs up all of the sudden, as if by wishful miracle.

"Today, Matt Marshall came and talked to me." Miley began, telling her best friend about what happened on the day of the visit like she had done five times before. "He said he missed you too. Out of everybody, I least expected him to be worried. Sounds like a serious boyfriend, eh? Looks like everybody misses you. Even Matt is worried.

"There was a test in biology today. Ms Kunkle kept postponing the test for you, so that everyone could take the test together. Finally, she decided you weren't coming back for a long time, so she went ahead with it. And oh yeah, there's going to be a school dance next Friday. I'm not sure if you can attend it. Even if you wake up, you will not be able to dance anyway. I'm sorry Lilly.

"Hannah staged another concert in Los Angeles two days ago. I swear, I nearly broke down crying on stage when I was to sing "True Friend". Luckily I composed myself and held it together until the song was over. Then I said goodnight to all the fans and dove back stage covering my mouth to stop myself bursting into tears in front of everybody. It was quite embarrassing, actually. I think the fans noticed I was about to cry when I sang the song. In any case, everyone backstage were alarmed to see me run off the stage in tears."

Robby Ray gave a dry sniff. He vividly remembered the embarrassing details of that night's performance. Miley had charged backstage and crashed right into his arms, who was utterly bewildered. Miley then proceeded to cry into his chest. The stage dancers were no less mystified than Robby Ray, and everyone backstage were shocked to find Hannah Montana acting in such a manner.

Speaking about the mundane took a while, but it didn't make for pleasant conversation, as there had been no conversation in the first place; Lilly was completely silent. Feeling coldly disappointed once more, Miley stood to leave.

"Let's go." She said simply, bordering on tears. Robby Ray and Jackson agreed with curt nods. Oliver too stood up reluctantly, casting one last look at Lilly.

"We're done here, I guess." Oliver whispered to Lilly.

"See you soon." Jackson echoed before the party of four trooped out of the room.

Once outside the room, they began to leave for home, until Miley doubled back into the room, having left her purse on Lilly's bed.

"Why did you even NEED to bring a purse?" Oliver said disapprovingly, while Miley raced back into the room. She reached the door, carefully opened it and walked in without making any sound.

What she saw blew her mind away.

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The lights in the room shone brightly, yet the bulbs flickered occasionally like a moth. Above Lilly's bed shone a light that came from a newly replaced light bulb, casting white rays on Lilly like a spotlight. And there, on the white bed, with electrodes and tubes sticking into her arms and other parts of her body, looking around with a confused expression on her face, limbs no longer hung in slings dangling from the ceiling, sat a medical miracle.

Lilly Truscott was awake. Alive.

Miley staggered, nearly fainting from shock. Walking up to the bed slowly, she saw Lilly turn her head towards her, still staring as if confused and overwhelmed by the light.

Miley crept up to her side and whispered disbelievingly, "Lilly?"

Lilly kept staring. She looked utterly disoriented.

"Lilly?" Miley repeated, unable to believe it herself. Seconds ago, her heart stopped pumping momentarily, and she was a little weak-kneed.

Lilly blinked innocently and spoke in a childish voice.

"Who are you?" She asked.

Miley grimaced, visibly hurt, but she swallowed the lump in her throat. She had expected this; that Lilly might not remember her. Still, it hurt terribly to find the person whom you were so worried about not being able to even recognise you. The pain was numbed somewhat by the warm ray of hope and happiness that shot through her body; at least Lilly was awake and alive, though not well.

As gently as possible, Miley asked her, "I'm your friend, remember? I'm Miley."

_Miley. Miley. Why does that ring the bell? _Lilly thought.

"I don't know you." Lilly finally said.

Miley fell silent for another minute. The silence permeating the room like an acrid haze now began to press down on all of them, its nature ominous and heavy.

"You are Lilly, remember? You fell during a skateboarding competition and got hurt really badly. You were in a coma for more than a week." Miley reminded her, struggling to keep the tears under her voice suppressed.

Lilly shook her head innocently. "I don't remember anything. Who am I?" she added.

"You're Lilly."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Miley. Your best friend."

"Where am I?" Lilly looked around, staring wildly. "How did I get here? I'm scared! I don't want to be here! I want to go home!"

Miley was afraid; Lilly might exhaust herself. Holding her friend gently by the shoulders and lowering her down to her bed again, she said, "You'll be home soon. Just lie down and wait. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Lilly replied obediently, rather like a young child. Miley walked quickly to the door, tears of both suppressed joy and sorrow streaking her face. She tried to stay calm, but when she left the room she couldn't stop herself announcing to the world the bittersweet news. The "sweet" part in "bittersweet" took over temporarily, in the heat of the moment.

"SHE'S AWAKE! LILLY'S AWAKE! OLIVER COME QUICKLY!"

Within seconds, nurses and doctors arrived, alarmed by the sudden call. The three visitors also rushed to Miley, completely bewildered.

"Lilly's awake?" Oliver asked weakly, not believing it. Beside him, Jackson and Robby Ray stared wide-eyed.

"YES! YES! SHE'S AWAKE AND ALIVE! I EVEN TALKED TO HER!" Miley ran up to Oliver and gave him a back-breaking hug, beside herself with joy. Jackson and Robby Ray had wide smiles on their faces, and the doctor who was attending to Lilly all the time, Doctor Larry Sharp, also arrived in a hurry.

"Good Lord! She's awake! It's a bloody miracle!" He exclaimed to a nurse outside the door, apparently summoned here.

"Doctor Sharp! She's awake!" Miley squealed. The entire group of people entered the room in three seconds.

Once in the room, however, Miley felt saddened. Upon re-entering the coldness of the ward, the "bitter" in "bittersweet" took control of Miley like an ambivalent storm; one moment euphoria, the other, depression. Lilly was very scared and confused, pulling her covers up to her neck in alarm upon seeing all the nurses and doctors surrounding her. She used only her left hand, and was unable to back away from the surrounding people. Miley felt a cold chill that had nothing to do with the room wash over over her; a terrible wave of disappointment, and sorrow.

Walking up to Dr Sharp, Miley said flatly, "When I spoke to her, she didn't remember me. She was also acting like a child. I wonder if her brain's damaged. She was able to sit up, though, and her left side was functioning properly." adding the last bit brightly, she glanced at the doctor's face.

"Very curious. Very curious." Dr Sharp mumbled, watching Lilly closely, staring her straight in the eye, while Lilly was backing away from him, frightened.

Turning to Miley, he said, "I need to keep her under close watch now that she is awake, to check if she is completely fine, not counting the obvious paralysis and mental impairment. I'm afraid I must ask you to leave." Turning to Robby Ray, he added, "You may not come back until we have informed you it is alright to do so."

Robby Ray nodded. Before turning to leave, he asked the doctor, "Her parents will know about this, right?"

"Oh yes. We will inform them immediately. We will also be keeping them in touch with Ms Truscott's condition." Dr Sharp said briskly.

"Thank you. Okay, time to go." With that, the party reluctantly left the room to the nurses, watching Lilly struggle against them piteously.

"Who are you people? Why are you here? Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Let go of me! HELP! HELP!"

By the time Jackson slid the door close, Miley was staggering in tears. It pained her tremendously to see her friend in such a state.

"Come on, Miles. I'm sure she'll be fine. She's awake now, isn't she?" Jackson said, trying to comfort his sister. The euphoric Miley minutes ago had become depressed all of the sudden.

"I-I'm sorry. It's just...sh-she sounds s-s-so scared, and...what a poor thing..." Miley choked. Robby Ray pulled her into a hug.

"But she's awake, no matter how bad the other troubles are. At least, she's awake. And it's all thanks to our support. You saved Lilly's life, remember?" He said warmly. Miley released a dry sob.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. At least she's awake."

Turning away from the door, the group headed for home, due to return when they were notified once more. Despite all the sorrow and pain to come in the future, Miley knew that, at least, she had her friend back.

_Miley. Lilly. Miley. Lilly. Why do they all sound so familiar? Do I know these people? Am I really Lilly? Then who's Miley? Why are these people attacking me? I don't like it! I don't like it! I really don't like it!_

"STOP! STOP! MOMMY! DADDY! HEEEELP!!!"

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Poor Lilly. I really felt for her when I wrote this chapter.

It took little more than three hours to complete, but I'm pleased with the turnout. Anyway, I'll promise to get on quickly with the next chapter. I'm not so nasty as to make you all wonder what happens to Lilly next.

Don't worry. This is a promise I will keep. Expect to see it in at most two days time.

Terrorking Tragedian.


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